The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the Republic of Serbia recently ratified the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, bringing the total number of ratifications so far to 155.
While Venezuela deposited its instrument of ratification on Friday, July 21, 2017, Serbia did likewise several days later on Tuesday, July 25, 2017. Respectively, they are 154th and 155th Parties to the global climate treaty.
According to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Venezuela’s ratification of the pact will enter into force in a month’s time on Sunday, August 20, 2017, while that of Serbia becomes effective on Thursday, August 24, 2017.
Hitherto, the Republic of Malawi on Thursday, June 29, 2017 ratified the pact, ahead of Egypt and Togo, which ratified the climate accord respectively on Thursday, June 29 and Wednesday, June 28 2017.
The Paris Agreement builds upon the Convention (UNFCCC) and – for the first time – brings all nations into a common cause to undertake ambitious efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its effects, with enhanced support to assist developing countries to do so. As such, it charts a new course in the global climate effort.
The Paris Agreement’s central aim is to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Additionally, the agreement aims to strengthen the ability of countries to deal with the impacts of climate change. To reach these ambitious goals, appropriate financial flows, a new technology framework and an enhanced capacity building framework will be put in place, thus supporting action by developing countries and the most vulnerable countries, in line with their own national objectives. The Agreement also provides for enhanced transparency of action and support through a more robust transparency framework.
